InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Better Things than You ❯ The Comeback ( Chapter 12 )

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha. He is the property of Rumiko Takahashi and Viz Productions.

 

A/N: Please go easy on this chapter. It was written while I was still trying to get over my wisdom teeth and packing for school and moving into my apartment. Basically its very scattered and though I've done my best to fix it, I'm not sure there's much more that can be worked on. I'm really just ready to post this and be done with it.

 

Chapter 12

 

Naraku watched his partner and the man's goons be escorted through the woods by a pair of women he had not seen the like of in his life.

 

So the old monk wasn't just suffering from jungle fever…

 

Naraku covered up in his bamboo pelt once more, moving with the coverage of the foliage.

 

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She didn't know how she got there, but Kagome found herself kneeling before Inuyasha, brushing sweat-dampened bangs off his dusty forehead. He looked so worn and tattered, and he had come all this way…for her? As much as she didn't want to think such things, the thought came unbidden.

 

Kagome's mind was flooded with memories of their time together in London; the times before everything had gone wrong.

 

Inuyasha pulled her a little closer as they walked around the park, returning the glare of their chaperone as he moved his hand to Kagome's hip so he could pull her that much closer.

 

The way he would hold her hand in the theater when he thought no one was looking.

 

Watching Inuyasha when she thought he was concentrating on something else only to find he was watching her too.

 

Suddenly, she couldn't stay there next to him, couldn't look at him, could not—for the love of chocolate—be there when his golden eyes opened. A million different scenarios of what he would say flashed though her mind, and Kagome also knew she couldn't stand to hear any of them.

 

She had done so well in the past weeks blocking Inuyasha from her thoughts, and now here the hanyou was in the flesh destroying any and all of the barriers she had managed to build for her self-preservation.

 

Leaping to her feet, Kagome dashed out circle that had gathered around Inuyasha's fallen form.

 

She wasn't sure where she was going, but before she had to make a decision, Sango had caught up with her, reining her in by grabbing her arm.

 

“Kagome?” Her eyes were concerned, but stern. She wasn't going to let this go.

 

Unable to stop her blush, Kagome stared down at the ground, rubbing her arms as if she were warding off cold.

 

“That is Inuyasha.”

 

XXXXXXXXXXX

 

Miroku woke with a start, unsure at first of his surroundings. Once he was awake enough to recognize where exactly he was, he managed to roll to his side and drag his heavy body to a stand.

 

His head would not stop aching for anything.

 

Well, maybe if that damn woman would stop taking every opportunity she could get to knock me unconscious…

 

Staggering out into the daylight, he was surprised to find his sister and her friend coming up toward him.

 

Kagome looked surprised to see him and immediately ducked her head, but continued walking, more resolute than he had seen her in years. The Amazon merely glared at him from her place behind Kagome.

 

Kagome walked passed him, mumbling something about needing to talk to him as she went. Once both women had stepped inside—Sango still glowering—Miroku turned and made his own slinking way to sit across the fire from them.

 

When neither of the women spoke, Miroku grew tired of the silence. Eyeing his sister and her outfit, he found it best to begin, “Kagome, what did I tell you about those clothes?” He growled. “You look fit to be a—”

 

Before he could finish the sentence, he found himself standing, or would have been if his feet had been touching the ground. Sango had him strung up by his neck, clutching his throat in death grip a full arm's length above her head. “I understand you look down on women based on the clothes they wear. But you will also understand I have given your sister clothes demanding the highest respect a novice can receive in my tribe. You will not mock or belittle her in anyway, especially when you are a man who dares to touch women as you please!” Instinctively he had grasped her wrist to free himself, but she held firm, releasing him when she saw fit.

 

Sango let him fall as he began to chock. He laid on the floor for a moment, then managed to roll so he could sit, his arms propping up his body. Sango hadn't moved. “You understand me?” She growled. Miroku could only nod, rubbing his fingers over his bruised throat.

 

“Very well,” she sighed, returning to her seat next to the fire. “Now, Kagome has some news for you.”

 

Miroku swiveled his head to look at his sister, not trusting his strength.

 

Kagome was still blushing madly, but some how she felt oddly relieved. No one had ever stuck up for her like that and been listen to.

 

“Oh right,” Sango's words reminding her over Inuyasha's resent return. “Miroku, um…this may come as a surprise, but—”

 

Miroku rolled his eyes. “As long as Inuyasha Takahashi isn't sitting outside, nothing could surprise me,” he said as he warily eyed Sango. Never in a million years was he expecting his sister's next words.

 

“Well, he's not exactly sitting, more like lying…” Kagome chuckled nervously. She remembered the last time Miroku and Inuyasha had seen each other, and her heart clenched.

 

Miroku's reaction was instantaneous. His face flushed red, then went white, wiped of all color. “What?” His voice broke.

 

“He found m—us somehow. Inuyasha is here.” Kagome swallowed the lump that had grown in her throat. Her hair created a curtain around her face as she bowed her head in her inability to meet her brother's eyes.

 

Miroku's eyes burned fiercely, but he did is best to keep his cool. “Is that so?”

 

Kagome nodded, keeping her head bowed. She was afraid of what would happen next.

 

XXXXXXXXX

 

Kagome slipped into the hut where the villagers had tossed the hanyou for safekeeping. After an argument between Sango and her brother concerning Miroku's right to see their prisoner, the young man seemed to have succeeded. Explaining the need to protect his sister's honor appeared to have won over the Amazon. So now it was Kagome's task as neutral—really most neutral—party to wake Inuyasha.

 

The hut was stuffy and dark, but she could still make out Inuyasha's form from the light falling on his body from the skylight.

 

He was lolling on the ground, his long silver hair spread out in disarray all around him.

 

Slowly, she approached him, stopping when he rolled in his sleep. When the hanyou only snorted from deep within his dreams, Kagome took the few short steps remaining to the side of his head, kneeling carefully while tugging at her skirt to keep as much of her body covered as possible.

 

“Inuyasha…” She whispered, trying, but not really trying to wake him. She could watch him sleep all day, but it was not her choice to make.

 

Gently leaning over, she took his face between her palms, smushing his cheeks so he looked very much like a fish. “Inuyasha…” she breathed again.

 

She hated to even think it, but he looked so damn peaceful when he was asleep like this. Not just peaceful, but handsome, and lovable, and—and all those cursed things she had promised herself she would not imagine Inuyasha Takahashi capable of being after he left her.

 

“Inuyasha…” she said again, but this time the name simply slipped though her lips. Almost as if she wanted to say it.

 

This time, instead of his head swaying from side to side so more drool leaked out from his lips, the hanyou's eyes peaked open.

 

At first Kagome was certain he would fall back asleep, but after a moment, Inuyasha blinked at her. He seemed to be observing her; waiting for her to make the first move.

 

Kagome gulped. What was the proper thing to say at a time like this? “Inuyasha?” she heard herself squeak.

 

Again, he only watched her as she grew more and more uneasy until.

 

After another blink in her direction, Kagome began to wonder if there was something wrong with him. Leaning in as close as she dared, Kagome looked for signs of illness or bruising. When she saw none, she carefully jabbed his cheek with her index finger.

 

Inuyasha scowled, but only blinked again to which Kagome's brow also scrunched angrily and again she poked him in the face.

 

“Jesus Christ Kagome I come all the way here to bloody rescue you and all you can do is whisper my name like a fucking nun in church and prod me like some sort of simpleton!” He lashed out, all in one breath mind you, sitting up so quickly Kagome toppled backwards in her flight to get out of his way.

 

Inuyasha's hands however were quick, and he righted her, pulling her close, but not too close. As much as he wished it, he could not forget the fact he had injured the woman so near to being in his arms, and for that he could not bring himself to pull her into a warm embrace.

 

In spite of his best intentions, Inuyasha felt his control slipping. He had never been good with temptation, and being this close to her after so long apart was doing strange things to his demonic half. It felt like it did when it fluctuated, trying to become dominant…but that only happened when he was in very serious danger. Something was off, and he sucked in a calming breath, pulling Kagome closer in an attempt to appease the monster without overstepping his boundaries.

 

“I'm sorry,” he blurted out a moment later, not really sure himself if he was apologizing for everything or because of his most recent fuck up.

 

Kagome remained frozen, not really sure what to say or do. Never in all the lessons from her governesses or the instructors in the academies she had attended had they given one on how to gracefully address a former fiancé whom had tracked you down to a remote jungle village after seemingly washed his hands of you forever.

 

“Kagome?” It was his turn to whisper.

 

“Yes Inuyasha?” she asked, keeping her eyes averted. She realized she was terrified by how much she wanted to look at him, and found herself only able to keep her eyes on the ground.

 

“I've missed you,” he growled out, his voice raspy and hollow. Kagome tried to process what his words meant, but any thoughts or words she might have had were silenced when Inuyasha kissed her.

 

Not like the respectful, polished, smooth kisses he had given her in London. This was much different: it was fierce and hungry and so lonely, clawing at her lips and almost making her forget he had ever left her side…

 

Almost. It hit her and all the warm fuzzies trying to spawn happy thoughts in her stomach suddenly evaporated. Almost. She was icy cold and furiously hot at the same time.

 

Almost…Kagome's mind spat bitterly. That's the point, he did leave you, and you don't have to take him back.

 

Kagome pulled back from Inuyasha.

 

I don't have to take him back…its my decision.

 

Not my mother's or Miroku's, mine. Inuyasha left me with nothing but my broken heart and went on his merry way with Kikyou, never looking back, and now he's here to say he misses me?

 

If he can so easily toy with me, I no longer have to stand for it.

 

Inuyasha never saw it coming.

 

Kagome pushed him away, shoving him so hard his sea-bruised body nearly toppled.

 

“What are you doing here? Why can you just let me be!” She knew she was yelling in a most un-lady-like manner, but it didn't matter.

 

Somewhere in the deep recesses of her mind, Kagome knew she had started to cry, but she wiped the flecks of water away with the heels of her hands and stood—anything thing to get away from Inuyasha.

 

She wanted him back, but something in her would not accept his kiss as a worthy apology. He had a lot to make up for and there had to be something more.

 

Inuyasha sat where he was, unable to move.

 

He didn't know why he had kissed her. After weeks and months of telling himself he was unworthy to lick Kagome Higurashi's boots, he found him self drawn to the point of being bound to the woman before him.

 

The demon was definitely surfacing.

 

Kagome wavered a bit on her feet, in the process setting her body under one of the hut's light shafts.

 

Inuyasha forgot his worries as he looked at his fiancée. He had always imagined she would be beautiful under all those damned layers her frocks were made of, but he never expected what he saw before him at that moment.

 

He felt his breath hitch in his throat as he took in her flawless skin barely covered by the scraps of cloth attempting to hide her tiny form. Before Inuyasha could halt his movement, he was closing the distance between them. It had been too long since he had been this close to her, and now, too see her like this—it was too much for his demon senses entirely. Inuyasha felt a moment of panic as his control slipped, but something called to the worry from the back of his mind, reminding him that he would never hurt her, at the moment he just need to be near her.

 

Kagome backed away from the hanyou when he began to stalk towards her, frightened by the red hints his eyes were taking on even in the dark light of the hut.

 

Before, when they were still in London, he had described to her what he would look like when his demon side took over completely. Inuyasha had said his eyes would go crimson and purple stripes would slash down his face; his claws and fangs would lengthen.

 

The slashes weren't there, but his eyes sure as hell were red.

 

“What's wrong Kagome?” Inuyasha asked, his voice came out hungry as it scrapped over his now demonic vocal cords.

 

The way he was looking at her, it was the way Kouga and his men leered. But there was something more to Inuyasha's gaze. Something that let her know he wouldn't hurt her, but it didn't matter, it wasn't enough. She was afraid. Afraid for herself and suddenly afraid for him. What if he never came back to her?

 

The purple was flickering around his cheekbones as he stepped even closer to her.

 

The memories of Inuyasha explaining the dominant youkai echoed in Kagome's head confused her already frightened mind. Deep within the overwhelmed miko, she felt something stir.

 

Just as Inuaysha closed his clawed fingers around her wrists to jerk her closer and snarled “Mine” in her face, Kagome felt something light and hot in her chest. It burned up from her hip, covering and coiling around her heart before it exploded out into the hot sticky jungle air.

 

Inuyasha never knew what hit him as he spiraled down and out into oblivion.

 

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A/N: So I'm back at school now, and doing pretty well for missing four teeth. This chapter is very piece-meal, and not as good as I would have liked, but I think it turned out ok for the circumstances. If you haven't noticed, I'm a shitty fluff writer.

 

I hate to say it, but since I'm back at school updates are going to be few and far between, especially since we don't have internet in my apartment. Give me reviews (especially now before things get insane with my work load) and I'll try to be inspired enough to keep this story going.

 

Once again, thanks for everyone who review, pitied my teeth yanking, and waited for this update.

 

Alexa: This probably wasn't what you were expecting (it wasn't what I had planned on either…) but its just what came out. Perhaps a bit clichéd with the Inuyasha-turned-demon thing, but it just flowed. *Shrugs* Hope you're not too disappointed.